Collapsible box structure



p 9 1945- F. v. POWELL CQLLAPSIBLE BOX STRUCTURE Filed May 19, 1944 INVENTOR. F/Ffl/vr/s 1/, POWELL.

Patented Sept. 11, 1945 COLLAPSIBLE BOX STRUCTURE Francis V. Powell, Marlon, 11111., assignor to Lindley Box 8; Paper Company, Marion, Ind., a

corporation Application May 19, 1944, Serial No. 536,309

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a paper board box structure that may be closed by a separable lid or by a lid hingedly connected thereto, or by an interlocking-like or cover arrangement.

This invention, accordingly is directed to.the box proper and one capable of being fabricated and shipped flat or in the knockdown and capable of ready erection when to be utilized.

The chief feature of this invention resides in the bottom structure of a box having four sequentially connected side walls, which bottom comprises two biased flaps inetgral with two of the walls and each secured to another wall.

Herein the flaps are integral with two adjacent walls and coextensive therewith in width and are adhesively secured to the other walls. The flaps may, however, be integral with opposite walls.

These flaps are diagonally or angularly creased so that they break or fold inwardly into the box permitting of its collapse for knockdown positioning. When erected, these flaps lap each other with a biased lap arrangement.

Herein is illustrated a rectangular box in preference to a square box because the former illustrates the bias lap other than of diagonal type, which occurs in the square box.

Other features of the invention will be set forth more fully hereinafter.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawing and the following description and claims:

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a developed plan view of a blank illustrating a rectangular embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the erected box.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken a slight distance above the bottom and looking into the box.

Fig, 4 is a perspective view of the bottom of the box partially collapsed position.

In the drawing l and I2 indicate two end walls and II and I3 two side walls with flap [4 on one side edge of the wall 13, all walls being sequentially connected t0gether.. When the side edge of wall I0 is adhesively secured to flap l4, the walls are connected together and can be collapsed as shown in Fig. 4. Each wall has at its upp r edge, if desired, flaps designated by the corresponding numeral 01' its supporting wall together with the subscript a.

Herein the bottom forming flaps are integral with walls l2 and I3. One flap I5 is triangular in shape with its base coextensive with wall l2 and hingedly connected thereto as at l8. Crease I! may be interrupted and include slot H in the neeted thereto as at 22 is a flap 24 having a transverse dimension equal to that of base l6 of flap I5. This flap 24 includes along the edge 25 parallel to crease 22 the flaps 26 and 21. Slit 28" separates these flaps. Bottom 24 includes the 45 crease 29 that also breaks upwardly like crease 2|.

The adjacent side edge of bottom 24 includes tongue 30 adapted to seat and lock in slot l1. It also has hingedly connected thereto as at 3| the flap 32. Flap l5 and flap 32 are separated by slit 33. The remote side edge of bottom 24 includes flap 34 hingedly connected thereto as at 35.

The flaps l8 and 34 are adhesively secured to the adjacent walls as illustrated in Fig. 3. Then the bottom forming flaps are folded 0r creased inwardly. see Fig. 4; and the box collapsed for knock-down shipment.

For erection the flattened structure is opened and the several walls squared with respect to each other. This draws down the creased bottom flaps. Then pressure is applied thereto until tongue 3| seats and locks in slot II. The box is then locked in erected relation and flaps 32, 26 and 2! lie parallel to the adjacent walls and withinthe box.

The resulting structure is a collapsible box witha. foldable reenforced bottom.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail in the drawing and foregoing description, the same is to be'considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character.

The modifications described herein as well as others which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all are considered to be within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A rectangular collapsible box including four sequentially connected walls, a bottom flap of box area hinged to one wall, a triangular bottom flap hinged to an immediately adjacent wall and lapping and reenforcing the bottom flap when the box is erected, the triangular flap having its hypotenuse edge directed away from the bottom flap, each flap including a biased fold or crease therein directed from one comer of the flap where connected to the wall, to the opposite side of such blank, the bias crease of the bottom being substsntieilymrallel tothehypotenuseedge and the bissedcreasesbeingdirectedtowardseeohother when extended from the wall-flap connection corners.

2. Aboxlsdeflnedbycll-iml whereinthebottom nap includes on extension flap adjacent the triangular flap and separated therefrom by a slot and arranged for connection to the wall to which the triangular lien is hingedly connected.

3. A box as defined by cloim 1 wherein the bot tom nap, opposite its well hinge connection, includes I. flap extension for opposite wall connection, said flap extension having a. slot coextensive bias fold, and the bottom flap includes I. second extension flap, the latter being adjacent the triangular flap and separated therefrom by a slot and arranged for connection to the wall to which the triangular nap connected.

FRANCIS V. POWELL 

